Mask of Falsehood
by DigitalStarry
Summary: Before the Dark Signers can be dealt with, Yusei feels that he must get Aki to see that her life is worth being in control and to not be dependent completely on another person. AU containing mild MartyrRoseShipping and PsychicShipping.


Title: Mask of Falsehood

Characters: Yusei Fudo and Aki Izayoi

Warnings: Mild martyrRoseShipping (Yusei x Aki) and PsychicShipping

Notes: Normally I wouldn't have written about this pairing at all. But many fans have gotten me to see it in a new light and in addition to distancing myself from the other more rabid fans of the shipping allow me to grow onto it. That and this pairing deserves more in characters fanfics

"Doth lie invite truth?

Doth verity but wear the mask of falsehood?

Ah, thou pitiful, thou miserable ones!"

- Walk on Vanity Ruins

XXXXXXXXXX

"The winner is…. The shooting star of Satellite, Yusei Fudo!" The MC declared with great pride and energy as the holograms faded. The crowd roared with great excitement at reaching a conclusion where the witch wouldn't continue forward. Even a marked Satellite resident was more loved then the rose menace.

Meanwhile, Yusei took notice of his glowing arm, which was fading away again. He pulled up his jacket sleeve and saw that the mark of the Dragon became embedded on his tanned flesh. Alerted now that the mark didn't disappear like it did before, he threw a quick glance over at the opposing side.

Aki kneeled against the floor, her hair now pressed against her head mixed in with sweat and tears. The spectators tossed rude and hateful comments at her; most of them didn't address her by the given name but her alternate persona. She sobbed, not moving from her place and weakly calling for Divine. Divine would help her, wouldn't he? He helped her any other time she was at her lowest.

But no, instead Yusei approached her. Bending down and offering a hand, he looked straight at her with his eyes.

"Izayoi, lets go."

In distress, she shoved him away, nearly knocking him to the floor. Yusei's persistence didn't allow him to give in so easily. He grabbed her by the hand and forced her up. She tried to release his grip, but Yusei was a strong man, and she was already weakened by their duel. He dragged her across the stadium, earning harsh remarks from crowd and his friends left puzzled.

He managed to get her into the safety of the hallway before she jerked away. Aki snarled could he get anymore in her personal affairs? Didn't he take a hint by now?

"What do you want?" Her teeth gritting while she dug her nails deep into the Claw mark.

"You don't deserve this, Izayoi! You are your own person." He preached again.

"SHUT UP!" She countered back. "Just leave me alone, okay? I don't need you, only Divine."

His eyes furrowed together, it was still the same deal. She couldn't seem to think for herself and hid behind that sleazy man from Arcadia.

"That man is controlling you."

"No he's not. I like being this way. " She turned to run down the hallway, she didn't need him oh please.

"Iza-" Yusei pleaded with her. But a man wearing brown coat walked between them. He glanced at the younger girl with a sickening smile.

"Aki?" He inquired.

"Divine!" Relief flushed over Aki's face as she leaped into a Divine's arms. Finally, her savior and compassionate man found her.

"Everything will be alright, Aki." He assured her. The girl only buried her blotchy red cheeks against him and murmured his name over and over. Holding her on the side, Divine took a step away from Yusei.

"Wait, Izayoi… Divine!" But Yusei's pleas fell on deaf ears.

XXXXXXXXXXX

From then on in the Fortune Cup, Aki wasn't spotted again. But that was from what it seemed like to everyone else. She was only resting inside the Arcadia's truck, regaining her composure and her duel with Yusei replaying again and again, like it was permanently on rewind.

Love herself, be her own person? What a laughable concept, she hated the way she was. She was cursed for eternity to be outcasted for others.

But...She couldn't help but think of something meaningful to those words either...

Before that though, she noticed her wretched mark glowing once more. She tried to conceal it like she had trained herself to do like a muscle reflex. It felt different and more painful before, as if some odd force overthrowing it and her mental state. The room became a haze, and not just from the water rising into gas. Eventually her sight became blinded until revealing a starlight path with two D-Wheelers riding on the path into oblivion.

Those two... Yusei and Jack?! What was going on? She mused quietly...

Eventually though she saw it all; from the look into the grim future to the king being usurped and thrown from his throne.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Less then a full day after that faithful duel had concluded, the newly crowned King jogged back to Saiga's house in the wee hours of the early morning. His mind was a cluster of wonders and questions about this new breed of Signers coming from the depths of hell. Who was behind them and why did Godwin hide this important truth from him?

Without looking the right way, a girl wearing a black robe bumped into him, clearly on accident. When they saw each other however, it was clear that the rose maiden and the hope of Satellite had met again.

Before Yusei could even say a single word, Aki dashed off. Hoping that he wouldn't give chase, she activated the duel disk in her arm and set up a card to block his path.

But she didn't know that Yusei was resourceful and cunning coming from his upbringing and good genes. He eventually did follow her to the Arcadia Movement.


End file.
